McClelland & Stewart to publish final volume of poems by Leonard Cohen

NEWS PROVIDED BY
McClelland and Stewart
October 6, 2017

TORONTO, Oct. 6, 2017 /CNW/ - McClelland and Stewart is honoured to announce the publication of Leonard Cohen's final book, THE FLAME, which was completed in the months before his death in November 2016. The deal was arranged with Andrew Wylie at The Wylie Agency. The book will be published in Canada on October 16, 2018. In the United States, the book will be published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux; in the United Kingdom, it will be published by Canongate Books.

Robert Kory, Leonard Cohen's manager and Trustee of the Cohen Estate, said, "During the final months of his life, Leonard had a singular focus—completing this book taken largely from his unpublished poems and selections from his notebooks. The flame and how our culture threatened its extinction was a central concern. Though in declining health, Leonard died unexpectedly. Those of us who had the rare privilege of spending time with him during this period recognized that the flame burned bright within him to the very end. This book, finished only days before his death, reveals to all the intensity of his inner fire. "

THE FLAME includes a stunning collection of Cohen's last poems, selected and ordered by the author in the final months of his life. Additionally, the book contains an extensive selection from Cohen's notebooks, which he kept in poetic form throughout his life, offering an unprecedentedly intimate look inside the life and mind of a unique artist and thinker. THE FLAME will also offer the full lyrics to Leonard's final three albums, as well as those written by Cohen for the album BLUE ALERT by his collaborator Anjani. The book, which will also feature prose pieces and illustrations by Cohen, is an enormously powerful final chapter in Cohen's storied literary career.

McClelland and Stewart publisher Jared Bland said, "It is a solemn honour to publish this profound book, which is full of Leonard Cohen's signature combination of grace, humour, wisdom, and heartbreaking insight into the fragility and beauty of this world we all share. It will endure as a testament to his humanity and genius, and delight his millions of fans around the world."

Why this wasn't supposed to be out yet, Jarkko?
Dominique Boile discovered a kindle version in the french amazon site, a few hours later there's the breaking news that there will be a new book in a year time and by the way, Malka's book has been postponed to another date by "unforeseen circunstances", ( a dear friend got a copy - imagine the treasure she holds now) a lot to be explained these days. thanks anyway for any possible answer.

According to what I have been told, "[Malka Marom's book] is an illegal publication", and it remains to be seen what will happen to it.

this is actually shameful, the book was announced one year ago, even before Leonard's death. I tried to obtain some information from her but by what I can perceive from your words, "illegal publication" is a bit too hard to take.
I wonder about all those bootlegs being sold worldwide, how illegal are they?
Many thanks Jarkko, looking forward for The Flame, for sure will keep burning bright at his temple.

Thrilled about this! I first heard on FB, but it's great to get more details here. 'The Flame' is now at the top of my to-be-read list. I can't wait to pore over every detail on every page. It's so touching knowing Leonard was putting in his energy and focus into this work right up until the end.

Leonard Cohen has felt every bit as present in our culture since his death as he did when still with us, and that is not about to change in 2018.

Three months ago, news came from Cohen’s longtime Canadian publishers McClelland & Stewart that next October will see the release of a work that occupied Cohen until literally days before his passing on Nov. 7, 2016. It’s no disservice to any living writer to say that The Flame will be the most anticipated book of the year.

Cohen was an artist who was vital right until the end — not just active, but operating at peak form. Where aging artists will often squander their energy attempting to recapture their youth, Cohen fully addressed where he was in life, creating work that stared down mortality in ways few have done so directly and eloquently. Which makes the prospects for The Flame, described by manager Robert Kory as the result of “a singular focus” in Cohen’s final months, all the more tantalizing.

There’s a nice full-circle feel to this posthumous work being largely a collection of poems: Cohen was a published poet (and novelist) well before taking up music, and no matter how great his prominence as a singer-songwriter grew, he never gave up his poetic vocation. If some of the fans who came on board relatively late — via I’m Your Man, or the Hallelujah phenomenon — were unaware of that, now they will find out in the best way. The Flame will also include selections from Cohen’s journals, the full lyrics from the Old Ideas, Popular Problems and You Want It Darker trilogy and collaborator Anjani’s album Blue Alert, assorted short prose pieces, and illustrations by the author.

“I always liked it slow,” Cohen once sang, and all those involved in The Flame have heeded his words, taking the time to shepherd the project with care.

Attitude is a self-fulfilling prophecy ~ me ...... The magic of art is the truth of its lies ~ me ...... Only left-handers are in their right mind!

Is there a specific reason for the (long wait till) October release of this book? With that a mean the date, the publisher is now saying October 16th if I am not mistaken. The book is ready I would think and publishing can happen in weeks if not days these days.